ISSUE # 36, 2015 2. 1. 2. 2. 2. 1. 2. 1. ISSUE # 36, 2015 Selenology Today is devoted to the publication of contributions in the field of lunar studies.. Manuscripts reporting the results of new research concerning the astronomy,, geology,, physics,, chemistry and other scientific aspects of Earth’s Moon are welcome.. Selenology Today publishes papers devoted exclusively to the Moon.. Reviews,, historical papers and manuscripts describing observing or spacecraft instrumentation are considered.. Sellenollogy Today websiite http://diigiillander.lliibero.iit/gllrgroup/ and here you can found allll ollder iissues http://www.llunar­captures.com/SellenollogyToday.htmll Ediitor iin chiief Raffaellllo Lena ediitors Jiim Phiilllliips, George Tarsoudiis and Mariia Teresa Bregante Selenology Today is under a reorganization,, so that further comments sent to us will help for the new structure.. So please doesn’t exit to contact us for any ideas and suggestion about the Journal.. Comments and suggestions can be sent to Raffaello Lena editor in chief : ISSUE # 36, 2015 Contents Earlly Centrall Peak viisiibiilliity iin Tycho and Coperniicus craters by Maurice Collins ............................................................................................................. 4 Lunar domes Atllas on lliine (GLR group) .................................................................. 9 Putatiive calldera beiing the source for at lleast some of the Bode pyrocllastiics : spectrall studiies by Raffaello Lena Geologic Lunar Research (GLR) group ................................................ 19 Lunar South Polle By Rik Hill ............................................................................................................................ 27 Lunar eclliipse October 8 2014 By Jim Phillips & Maurice Collins ...................................................................................... 28 The Strombolliian eruptiion stylle and the vollcaniic eruptiions from Strombollii By Raffaello Lena Geologic Lunar Research (GLR) group ................................................ 31 Partiiall Sollar Eclliipse October 23, 2014 By Mike Wirths and Pamela Weston ................................................................................. 44 Lunar south polle wiith crater Neumayer at the poiint of maxiimum lliibratiion By Rik Hill .......................................................................................................................... 46 A smallll Meniiscus Hollllow fiielld associiated wiith extrusiive vollcaniism iin south eastern Mare Tranquiilllliitatiis By Barry Fitz­Gerald Geologic Lunar Research (GLR) group ....................................... 47 The Nectariis Mulltii­Riing Impact Basiin: Formatiion, Modiifiicatiion, and Regiionall Geollogy by Richard H. Handy ....................................................................................................... 58 COVER by Miike Wiirths (1) & George Tarsoudiis (2) craters Coperniicus & Tycho ISSUE # 36, 2015 Earlly Centrall Peak viisiibiilliity iin Tycho and Coperniicus craters by Maurice Collins At 09:17 UT I took another exposure of I have been intrigued by spacecraft images 0.120403 seconds. All were taken using the same showing the interiors of craters lit only by the light camera, and I was able to see the central peak reflected of their lit crater rims and Earthshine. I illuminated in the shadows by rim light, on screen, wondered if it would be possible to see this effect with each frame that downloaded! from Earth using only an average sized (20cm/8 inch) SCT telescope, the largest aperture I possess, I took a further exposure at 09:17 UT of and a Zwo Optical ASI120MC colour imager camera. 0.16136 seconds, I also took another "after" shot at 09:18 UT to show that it was not suddenly lit normally by a rising sun just at that moment using There had been Transient Lunar Phenomena 0.008705 seconds, and neither the "before" or (TLP) reports by amateurs of central peaks of "after" images show the central peak being lit yet. craters being visible before they should be lit by Later when visual observing at around 09:34UT I direct sunlight. These TLP reports describe could visually see the peak very faintly glowing observations of faintly lit interiors of craters with inside the shadows of Tycho, lit only by the light of misty glows, so it seemed a realistic exercise to try the brilliantly lit western rim reflecting light into the to capture an image of this effect to see if it were interior, that sun had not yet risen on its peak. Tony real and explainable. Cook did a calculation to show that the sun was at an angle of 1.6 degrees at the time of my image, On 2014 August 4 as I was imaging the 8 day which is confirmed by the Lunar Terminator Moon for a full disk mosaic, where the sun was just Visualization Tool. LTVT also confirmed that there rising on the rim of the great rayed crater Tycho in was no light reaching the central peak in the Digital the southern lunar highlands. Even though I did not Elevation Model (DEM) option used to draw the set out planning to do this experiment that night, as I lunar surface at those lighting conditions (at solar didn't know Tycho was just at sunrise, when I saw angle from 1.6 degree to 1.9 degree) to confirm my Tycho's lighting I thought this would be an ideal time observations that the peak was only lit by rim light to try and see if the central peak was able to be seen not direct light. inside the darkened shadow of the crater interior, so I attempted to try (Fig. 1). The following night, 2014 August 5, the sun was just rising on the crater Copernicus, with its I had taken normally exposed images moments interior still in shadow. So I thought I would try to before at 09:15 UT at 0.006506 seconds exposure, see if the central peaks of Copernicus were visible where I could not see any central peak being lit by under similar conditions as well (Fig. 2). the sun at this stage on the live image in the SharpCap software displayed on the screen of my At 06:00UT after taking a full mosaic of the laptop connected to the C8 telescope. At 09:15 UT I Moon, I trained the telescope (again my Celestron took two exposures at 0.037511 seconds, then at 8"/20cm Schmitt­Cassegrain) on the crater and 09:16 UT a longer one at 0.120403 seconds took a long exposure. I exposed for 0.037511 exposure. seconds for two images, one after the other. I really was not expecting to see anything, but in later 4 ISSUE # 36, 2015 processing the next morning several of the central in detecting the peak after a certain level, so it peaks were visible! I made a montage of images take vanishes until it is lit directly by sunlight at local at 06:00 UT long exposure 0.037511, 06:01 UT at sunrise. However, TLP researchers have possible normal exposure of 0.006506 seconds, and one other explanations, such as dust levitating or taken later after the sun had risen more and was gaseous emission of some sort, making it lighting the central peaks at 08:34 UT at normal temporarily visible. Further research and exposure of 0.006506 seconds. I sent it off to Chuck observations are needed to finally explain why it Wood at Lunar Photo of the Day, and he posted it the central peaks are sometimes visible, and that afternoon Aug 6. sometimes not under similar lighting conditions. Perhaps I lucked out that night in capturing it at just Dr. Wood was able to enhance the image the right time? For more detailed information on the further and bring out the peaks much more clearly TLP's of central peaks, I refer you to the article in and was able to describe three peaks being visible recent October 2014 BAA lunar section Circular [2], by the light of the reflected crater rimshine. By and the ALPO October 2014 "The Lunar Observer comparing the long exposure with the later image Newsletter" [3] by Dr. Tony Cook, who has taken at 08:34 UT where the peaks are illuminated, it analysed my observation in relation to TLPs of the is possible to match up the same peaks lit in the long past, especially the excellent observation of exposure image. Tycho's central peak by Brendan Shaw observed even earlier than I detected it. Tony Cook's article Several days later I was reading in H.P. also lists future watch times for similar lighting Wilkins "Our Moon" [1] and noted that Percy Wilkins conditions at Tycho. had also observed Copernicus's peaks and had this to report : Please send any further observation to Dr. Tony "On March 29, 1939, the great crater of Copernicus Cook at email: [email protected] or to the author at was finely displayed. The sun was rising there and [email protected] the shadows of the western wall were just beginning to creep down the slope of the opposite or eastern Ediitor note: We invite all readers of Selenology wall. The whole of the interior was in shadow. Today to send possible observations or own Suddenly a faint glow appeared inside Copernicus articles on the visibility of these central peaks also and the group of little hills near the centre were seen to the editorial board: [email protected] to be not sharply defined but rather as though they were being viewed through fog. This lasted about fifteen minutes then vanished. It was not until four hours later that the first ray of direct sunshine touched the tops of the hills near the centre. Surprisingly, however, not only the tops but the whole of the hills were seen at a time when it was not sunshine which revealed them. Where, then, did the light come from?" Though H.P. Wilkins did not figure it out, it appears to be sunlight reflected from the lit rim that has lit up the interior and central peaks, however, why it would be visible for only 15 minutes then vanish is slightly puzzling. My explanation for this would be that the light of the rim overwhelms the eye 5 ISSUE # 36, 2015 Fig. 1 6 ISSUE # 36, 2015 Fig. 2 7 ISSUE # 36, 2015 References: 1. Wilkins, H.